Gateshead College Student Eyes Gold at The World Games

Posted on the 22 January 2018

A Gateshead teenager with
cerebral palsy is gunning for glory after being selected to compete at a
high-profile international sports event.

Gateshead
College sports studies student and talented athlete Emily Stewart will
participate in the athletics heats of the 2018 Cerebral Palsy International
Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA) World Games later this year.

The event, which will take
place in Barcelona from August 4-12, provides the opportunity for talented athletes
with cerebral palsy and related neurological conditions to showcase their
talents across several sports.

Eighteen-year-old
Emily, who began competing in athletics at the age of eight whilst attending
Cedars Academy in Low Fell, will be one of only a handful of competitors from
the region who have been chosen to attend the eight-day event, which attracts
hundreds of spectators and competitors from around the world.

Emily, who has been a member
of the Gateshead Harriers since the age of ten, said: “I am delighted to be
attending the World Games and competing on the international stage. The support
from my family and my mentors at Gateshead College has been fantastic and has
enabled me to succeed in several competitions. I have been training hard with
their help and guidance and am looking forward to putting all of this preparation
into practice at the games.

“I will be competing across
several events including the 100 and 200 metre sprints, long jump, shot put,
discus and relay. It will be great to head back to the World Games and try to
beat my last record of four golds and a silver medal.”

Emily will return to the CPISRA
World Games in 2018 following a successful tournament in 2015, where she won
four gold medals in the 100 metres, 200 metres, long jump and ladies relay, as
well as a silver medal for the shot put. She was invited to participate in this
year’s games after excelling in several national competitions, including the
recent national School Games Finals, a high-profile multi-sport event for the UK’s most talented young athletes.

Liam Gumbrill, sports academy
lead at Gateshead College, said: “Emily is a very dedicated student who has a
real passion for athletics. She has already tasted success in many prestigious competitions and we are really
looking forward to her attending the World Games and representing Gateshead
College.

“Our priority at Gateshead
College’s Academy for Sport is to provide budding young sports enthusiasts with
opportunities to turn their talents and passions into success both on and off
the field. It is important for us to encourage students’ participation in
competitive sport while also equipping the next generation with the knowledge
and experience to achieve successful careers in the industry.”

In the run-up to the World
Games, Emily will be taking part in other major competitions including the
Northern Athletics Championships in Sheffield, the North East Athletics
Championships in Gateshead and the Para-Athletics Championships and National
Championships, both held in Manchester.